A Texan’s Guide to Colorado

Favorite Colorado Cities

These are our favorite cities and mountain towns in Colorado and our favorite things to do there. It’s the perfect state for a road trip to pick up a couple cities and scenic views!

Front Range:
- Denver – Fly into DEN, Capital city of Colorado, Wash Park, City Park, Gaylord of the Rockies Resort
- Boulder – 40 minutes from Denver, home of the CU Boulder Buffalos, Pearl Street, Float the river
- Golden – foothills, fall foliage, cute park in town, historic western downtown
- Colorado Springs – Garden of the Gods, Pike’s Peak, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, The Broadmoor, Great Wolf Lodge
- Fort Collins– Cute downtown, great parks, Lots of breweries including Fat Tire Brewing, Home to Colorado State Rams
Mountains:
- Telluride – Gorgeous views, waterfall hikes, free gondola to mountain village
- Steamboat Springs– beach at mountain base, cute downtown, float the river, hot springs
- Crested Butte – Kebler Pass, 3 Lakes Hike (our fav hike in Colorado), Rainbow Park
- Winter Park – Skiing, Faser River Trail, cute park downtown
- Breckenridge – Skiing, Hike to the troll
- Estes Park – Elk sightings, YMCA of the Rockies, Rocky Mountain National Park
- Aspen – upscale dining and accommodations, fall foliage, Maroon Bells hike
- Vail – Birthplace of skiing in Colorado, European feel, 10th Mountain Unit museum
- Buena Vista– South Main neighborhood, hike along river, Hotel Surf for happy hour
- Durango- Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad, Railway Museum, White Water Rafting, Mesa Verde day trip
- Glenwood Springs – Hot Springs, Amusement Park on top of Mountain, downtown area under shade of I-70
- Grand Lake – Lake, Playground in town, Access to Rocky Mountain National Park
- Granby – YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch, Granby Ranch Ski Resort (1/2 day passes), 4th of July parade
- Georgetown – Georgetown Loop Railroad, Fall Folliage, Big Horn Sheep Sightings, Guanella Pass Brewery
Western Slope:
- Palisade – known for their peaches and wine (the Fredericksburg of Colorado)
- Grand Junction – Biggest City out West, Nice stopover on the way to Utah
- Fruita – Colorado National Monument

We recently did a Colorado road trip in Summer 2023. We drove about 2.5-3 hours per day between cities. Here is where we stayed overnight: Denver > Winter Park > Salida > Durango (via Wolf Creek Pass)> Telluride (via million dollar highway, Dallas Pass) > Glenwood Springs (via McClure Pass) > Denver

Colorado through the Seasons

Summer – Hiking, Mountain Biking, Lakes (for boating/fishing not necessarily for swimming because news flash: snow melt is *cold*… brrr), Rodeos, Festivals, Fishing, White Water Rafting, wildflowers in the mountains
Fall – Leaf Peeping the Aspens. Usually starts in Mid-September and runs through Mid-October and moves South to North, Elk Bugling Season in Rocky Mountain National Park – Mid to Late September
Winter – Downhill Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Snow Mobiling, Snow Play (Snowmen, Snow Angels, Snow Forts), Sledding, Fat Tire Bikes, Hiking, Ice Skating, Sleigh Riding, Christmas Trains
Spring – White Water Rafting, Fly Fishing, Hiking (lower elevations are better as this is mud season in the mountains), wildflowers in the front range. Can be muddy, windy, or snowy.

Travel Tips for Texans in Colorado

Sun Protection – the sun is *intense* at elevation. A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are necessities. We also love sun shirts for the family – we buy Patagonia for the adults and Hannah Anderson or Primary for the kids, love the long sleeve ones with hoods.
Dryness – moisturizer, chapstick, and nasal saline are essential. Humidifiers will make you feel like you’re not turning into a lizard.
Weather – keep an eye on the weather and expect it to change quickly, especially in the mountains. We once started a hike in tank tops and ended it in a hail storm. Now we check the forecast a little more closely.
Rainy Afternoons – It is very common for rain to come in the afternoon, especially in May/June in the mountains. Plan your favorite outside activities for the morning and have a backup plan in the afternoon.
Food – Don’t expect to find good Tex-Mex or bbq in Colorado. These places are in just about every town but they won’t fool a true Texan. Do lean into the green chile craze. A standard breakfast burrito in Colorado comes with eggs, potato, and green chile stew…. sounds weird but it’s delicious!

National Parks in Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park – Drive trail ridge road through RMNP from Estes Park to Grand Lake in Northern Colorado, explore alpine tundra and keep your eye peeled for Elk and Moose!
- Best time to visit: Mid-to-Late September – fall foliage and elk bugling season
- Closest Towns Worth Visitng: Estes Park, Grand Lake

Mesa Verde National Park – Explore cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Pueblo people in Southwestern Colorado.
- Best time to visit: Late Spring/Early Summer – weather gets hot further into the Summer.
- Closest towns worth visitng: Cortez, Durango

Black Canyon of the Gunnison – Take a scenic drive along the South Rim Road with 12 overlooks to take in the views of steep cliffs, craggy spires, and some of the oldest exposed rock in the world (2 billion years old!). This canyon was formed by the Gunnison river over 2 million years.
- Best time to visit: Late Spring to Early Fall
- Closest Towns worth visiting: Gunnison, Crested Butte

Great Sand Dunes National Park – Take in the majestic sand dunes that are the largest in the country with a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Enjoy sand sledding, hiking, and exploring Medano Creek with a stream created by snow melt that peaks in May and dries up by late Summer.
- Best time to visit: Mid-May to Early June for best creak conditions.
- Closest Towns: Alamosa, Salida

Favorite Mountain Passes

When planning a driving route through Colorado, Google Maps is usually the most direct route but not always the best one. You came to Colorado to see pretty scenery and we think these Mountain passes are worth the views…. in the Summer. I’d go the most direct way if conditions are snowy #texan.

Cottonwood Pass – Buena Vista to Gunnison/Crested Butte
Rabbit Ears Pass – last part of the drive to Steamboat Springs
Independence Pass – Twin Lakes to Aspen
McClure Pass – Delta to Carbondale
Dallas Pass – Ridgeway to Telluride
Red Mountain Pass (Million Dollar Highway) – Silverton to Ouray
Berthoud Pass – Empire to Winter Park

Favorite Things to Do in Colorado Mountain Towns

We’ve found that what we love to do in the mountains is similar in just about any town we go to. Cue Taylor Swift’s Blank Space song in my head. Here is what we love to do with our 3 young children when we visit a Colorado mountain town.

Mountain Streams – the first thing to do when you arrive in a Colorado mountain town is to find the river. There’s usually a walking trail, a local park, and water sports or fishing to enjoy. And when all else fails, there are rocks to skip!
Local Parks – usually centrally located and has a cool playground
Local breweries – pick up a pint or a six-pack from a local brewery or liquor store
Bike Trails – usually a mix of flat trails through town and more challenging mountain or gravel trails closeby
Local Hikes – I like to use the All Trails app to plan local hikes. Check hike stats (distance, elevation gain, estimated time), see pictures, and read reviews from other hikers

Colorado Wildlife

It’s almost impossible to come to Colorado and not see at least a few animals on this list. Remember to respect the wildlife and give plenty of distance, more for larger animals.

Large Mammals: Bison, Elk, Moose, Bear, Mountain Lion
Midsize Mammals: Big Horn Sheep (state animal), Rocky Mountain Goat, Coyote, Fox,
Small Mammals: Marmot, Beaver, Chipmunk, Weasel, Prarie Dog
Birds: Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Hawks, Great Horned Owl, Magpie, Lark Bunting (state bird), Mountain Bluebird
Fish: Cut Throat Trout (state fish), Rainbow Trout

Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter. Whenever you choose to visit Colorado, you’re sure to have an adventure awaiting you in this beautiful state! Happy Travels!